1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting apparatus, and particularly to a mounting apparatus for steadily and securely mounting a data storage device therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally speaking, when a computer is assembled, a drive bracket is mounted in a computer enclosure, and then data storage devices are fixed to the drive bracket. The data storage devices comprise various combinations of hard disk drives (HDDs), floppy disk drives (FDDs), and compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) drives.
A conventional drive bracket is generally attached to a computer enclosure by bolts or rails. Fixing the drive bracket to the computer enclosure with bolts is unduly laborious and time-consuming: Furthermore, the computer enclosure needs extra operating space for carrying out the fixing operation. Since components of a computer are compactly arranged in a computer enclosure, the assembly and disassembly thereof is complicated and low efficient. Moreover, the components may be destroyed by inadvertent operation. Fixing a drive bracket in a computer base using rails is more convenient than using the above-described bolts. However, the rails are generally made of plastic. This leads to extra maintenance because of the plastic rails easily wearing out and resultantly needing replacement.
Another computer enclosure with drive bracket assembly is disclosed in Taiwan patent application No. 091212339. The drive bracket assembly comprises a drive bracket, an assembly panel, and a positioning device. A clip plate, which can move in lateral directions, is formed on a side plate of the drive bracket. The clip plate has elastic restoring force. A bevel guiding edge and a clip slot are formed at a front edge of the clip plate. A clip member is formed on the assembly panel corresponding to the clip slot. The assembly panel can be a surface of a computer base or an inner surface of a computer enclosure. The positioning device comprises at least a guiding groove and a corresponding positioning member. The guiding groove and the positioning member are formed on a proper position between the drive bracket and the assembly panel. The positioning member is engaged in the clip slot of the clip plate to secure the bracket on the assembly panel. The clip plate is moved away to make the positioning member disengage from the clip slot, thus the bracket is disassembled from the assembly panel. However, the assembly and disassembly of the drive bracket still need to be operated in inner space of a computer enclosure.
Thus an improved computer enclosure which overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.